Information around the Black Forest in Germany

Also setting the trend in jazz

Some people might be surprised that the tradition conscious Black
Forest is so modern. Donauechingen e.g. organizes the world famous music festival
for contemporary music every year in October. (1921 this festival took place
for the first time).

Lovers of jazz find a jazz festival in various places in summer. First class
bands come to the Black Forest: folk and country music, rag, Dixie and blues,
swing and rock music are played - of course modern jazz in all variations,
too. If you want more information contact the spa administration in Feldberg,
Hinterzarten, Schluchsee and Titisee-Neustadt.

The jazz club in Villingen-Schwenningen is one of the oldest and most famous
in Baden-Württemberg. Since 1977 an international jazz festival - during
which European and American bands play takes place in the "Theater am
Ring".

And Bad Liebenzell has started to organize jazz concerts every year in summer.

As a matter of fact people in the Black Forest are musical. So it is not
surprising that organs have been made in Waldkirch for 200 years - not only
awe- inspriring church organs, but all sorts of instruments consisting of
pipes, which are played at fairs.

Another instrument coming from the Black Forest is nothing grand but it
is world famous: the tiny flute, which makes the cuckoo call in the cuckoo
clock.

Also different musical instruments have made the Black Forest famous: the
accordion. First there was the mouth organ which is said to have been invented
in 1821 by a person from Berlin, a man called Friedrich Bach. The art of making
these musical instruments became known in the Black Forest - nobody knows
how the know how got there. Around 1830 the first "Bläsle"
(an instument you blow into) was made in 1857. Mathias Hohner, a clockmaker,
started to build them with precision. This was the beginning of the production
of mouth organs and accordions. In the accordion museum in Trossingen you
will find a lot of information on that subject.